Onward

The best antidote for January blues seems to me to be looking squarely forward. I find myself contemplating the prospect of Spring and knitting socks in an optimistic daffodil shade.

Well begun is half done - Aristotle? Mary Poppins? Someone wise said it anyway.

There have been difficult letters to write this week. One has been swirling round my head all holiday long, but the thoughts needed catching and putting on paper - when it was done I had no idea why I'd procrastinated. It was so liberating to have pinned it down.

So when life threw up the need for a second, vastly different kind of letter, I sat straight down and wrote it. Even though the words would hardly come and I am not sure what comfort it could possibly bring. I suppose I wrote it to make myself feel a little better. Sometimes there is nothing for it but to keep putting one foot in front of the other and see where the journey takes you.

Comments

[Lizzi]

Ain't that the truth.

[AngelJem]

With such common sense it was probably Mary Poppins. Love the yellow!

[rusty duck]

Sometimes it does pay to let the thoughts mull over a bit. 'Sleep on it' can be very good advice too.

I am sitting here with the very same catalogue on my desk. How weird.

[frances]

I have one of those letters to write, and I keep putting it off. Maybe I'm ready now? I'll let you know!

xofrances

[Gina]

Little steps work Ali... and I'm sure it was Mary Poppins!

[monica]

wise words.

(I think Aristotle would have liked Mary Poppins, a lot)

(I received the same catalogue. I don't think pink jeans are really me... but I want a pair. And the metallic loafers. Sigh. See you soon!!)

[PinkCatJo]

Mary Poppin's is underestimated as one of the greatest philosophers of the 20th century.

She has the perfect answer for everything, but I find the most important rule to stick by in life is 'with every job that must be done there is an element of fun'.

I think you deserve a spoonful of sugar - in tea, cake or whatever will make the letter writing experience taste better! x

[driftwood]

keep putting one foot in front of the other sounds like very sage advice to me x

[Emma]

Good advice here. I've been plucking up the courage to write a letter too. I need to take both yours and Val's advice and just do it.

[Dragonfly]

So sorry to hear some tough jobs have had to be done.
I'm finding my seed catalogues and that mental quilt are banishing my January blues. How're your plans for this years cut flowers going? There's another course in March that I'm interested in going to if you're interested?
(Hmmm, two 'interested' in one sentence there!!!)

[Julie]

Putting words on paper is so difficult sometimes but I'm glad that you found capturing them and having a job done was liberating. The socks are lovely and definitely a good way to banish the winter blues x

[kristina]

Such cheery socks! And I know just what you mean about letters. I find it so hard to get started, but once I do, I always wonder why it took so long. Thank you again so much for the lovely letter you sent me. K x

[Penelope]

Hello
I've just found your lovely blog via Nina's of Tabiboo. I love this post and conjured up an image in my mind of a butterfly catching net catching all those words you needed to capture onto paper. Your cheerful sock is just the thing for these January blues xox Penelope

[lucylocket]

Happy New Year Ali! Your solitary sock looks very familiar - there are too many of them here - maybe 2013 should be my year of knitting the second sock? Lucy xx

[dottycookie]

Letters. I am utterly rubbish at writing letters. My handwriting is illegible these days,m but that's a poor excuse. I'm sorry you've had a couple of tough ones to write recently, but I am relieved for you that you have managed them.